Bono = antichrist

[MadelynIris]

On Glen Beck radio program today. Someone will have to get a transcript. Some guy claimed he knew who the antichrist was, and he gave a description.

Glenn said, hey that sounds just like Bono!

 

[ZeroDude]

Fair assesment

 

[MadelynIris]

Described by Bobby as "a bloody exasperating child", Paul got a reputation at an early age for being both absent-minded yet argumentative...traits which earned him the unholy and ironic nickname "the Antichrist" from both family and friends

http://www.friendsofmaddox.com/vbull/archive/index.php/t-970.html

From steve stockman's pages:
TINA: Fans on the wire and on the Internet have in the past debated as to whether or not Bono is an Antichrist. Do you think Bono could be an Antichrist? What/who is the Antichrist?

SS: He may be lots of things but the antichrist ain’t one of them. The anti Christ is a figure in the book of Revelation that many think will be an actual person who will emerge in the “last days”. He’ll be anti Christ and Bono happily cannot achieve anywhere near that. I is those kinds of people though that inspired this book. I am not sure where they go to Church or who are their spiritual gurus but they are profoundly deceived if they can seriously misunderstand U2 so much. The root of it though is not their misunderstanding of U2 but of Biblical Christianity and of who Christ is. Someone who copuld accuse Bono of being the anti Christ is someone who would be close to the kind of Jesus that the Pharisses wanted! The Pharisees were the legalistic fundamntalist Jews of Jesus day who couldn’t get his message of love and grace.

http://grahamlester.typepad.com/point2point/2004/12/pope_bono_vatic.html

BTW, did I ever tell you about the guy I know who has made a very convincing argument that Bono's the AntiChrist? He's a Prof of Relig. History. I'll have to amuse you sometime with the details...
Thanks, Zech, that would be interesting.

I wouldn't go as far as calling him the antichrist, but I do find his claim to be a Christian rather dubious.

One thing I've learned though, is that his fans are singularly unwilling to hear any criticism of him, and get rather defensive about it. Maybe there is a messianic angle there. I mean most people are willing to concede that their musical heros are not perfect, except Bono fans.

Ok people, please don't take this seriously. I was shocked and amazed and entertained by this guy. Likewise, I am equally amazed at how many other people believe this based on a google search.

Funny...

 

[pax]

I mean most people are willing to concede that their musical heros are not perfect, except Bono fans.

He has bad hair transplants.

 

[Irvine511]

i think one could make a case that Bono is the closest thing we have to a living, breathing prophet.

seriously.

i smell a really cool movie here ...

 

[coemgen]

I'm with you Irvine! Seriously, he's a prophet. Just look at the lyrics to The Ocean and you'll see. If only more of us would listen...

 

[financeguy]

I know what you mean about the Ocean, but 'prophecies' can become self fulfilling in my view. Bono's not a prophet, he's a rock star with a social conscience, I don't think there's anything to be gained by elevating Bono into some Messiah or prophet figure.

 

[diamond]

He has bad hair transplants.

ouch

 

[Irvine511]

I know what you mean about the Ocean, but 'prophecies' can become self fulfilling in my view. Bono's not a prophet, he's a rock star with a social conscience, I don't think there's anything to be gained by elevating Bono into some Messiah or prophet figure.

ah, but in today's secular world, where we've pulled back the curtains and know how it works, and the fact that -- in my view -- most biblical "miracles" can be easily explained by science, wouldn't prophets be pretty secular? yes, that's a contradiction in terms, but that might be getting at the reality.

it seems to me that a man making the Devil's music, a punk rock band playing Bach, just might lead us to salvation.

and i'm totally talking out my ass, here -- but it's fun. and dramatic. if i'd had a few drinks i could *really* get going. and i'm telling you, damn good movie here.

not much difference between Elvis and Jesus, in my view. it's a way of elevating secular humanism to divine heights.

 

[financeguy]

it seems to me that a man making the Devil's music, a punk rock band playing Bach, just might lead us to salvation.

But it's not up to musicians/artists to lead us to "salvation". Their only responsibility is to paint pictures of how they see the world, if you like. I would tend to separate the artist from the political campaigning.

 

[coemgen]

A prophet doesn't always mean some big, mythical figure and it certainly doesn't mean Messiah! (there's only one of those. ) However, it can mean someone who is speaking God's teachings in a relevant way today. Bono, whether you believe it or not, is a very godly man. I know I got a few laughs by saying that, but he truly is. He prays every morning, knows the Bible inside and out, works tirelessly for the poor and sick and seeks God's will for his life. In taking the long, firm stance he's taken on AIDS in Africa and explaining how God and the church will be judged on how we handle it, I feel he's speaking truth here.

Bono's lyrics from "The Ocean."

"And I felt like a star
I thought the world could go far
If they listened to what I said"

How many of us who believe the world would go far if it listened to what we said actually get to have the world's attention for much of our lives?
I believe Bono had that feeling because that's how God created him to be. He's simply followed through with it and sought God's will and look at what's happened.


This is part of an explanation of The Ocean from U2MoL:
"Bono at his most and least pretentious. He's admitting he wants his stardom to change the world. The ocean he sees while analyzing his relationship with the audience seems a symbol for the spiritual enlightenment he'd share.

Just something to think about.

 

[Irvine511]

But it's not up to musicians/artists to lead us to "salvation". Their only responsibility is to paint pictures of how they see the world, if you like. I would tend to separate the artist from the political campaigning.

you can't be saved by art? i wouldn't be who i am today without "achtung baby." i'd rather find safety and salvation in the works of a fellow human being than in religious dogma.

i also don't want to place a limit on what the artist should do -- why place limits on anyone? what a boring world it would be if people only did what was expected of them.

 

[financeguy]

This is part of an explanation of The Ocean from U2MoL:
"Bono at his most and least pretentious. He's admitting he wants his stardom to change the world. The ocean he sees while analyzing his relationship with the audience seems a symbol for the spiritual enlightenment he'd share.

Just something to think about.

I agree with that intepretation, that is the way I interpret those lyrics also. But a lot of people have those ideas, or that kind of ambition at 18 or 19 or 20.

I'd venture if you quoted those lyrics to Bono today he'd laugh and say something about the grandeur of youth. Actually that's pretty much what he said in the Into the Heart book - something about megalomania setting in early!

Calling it prophecy - well as I said already if you're ambitious enough prophecy can become self-fulfilling. But I wouldn't really call that prophecy, more the realisation of a dream or ambition through hard work and effort.

Isn't there a quote in the Bible about - "Your young men have visions, your old men dream dreams" or something similar? It reminds me of those lyrics from The Ocean.

 

[Irvine511]

I agree with that intepretation, that is the way I interpret those lyrics also. But a lot of people have those ideas, or that kind of ambition at 18 or 19 or 20.

I'd venture if you quoted those lyrics to Bono today he'd laugh and say something about the grandeur of youth. Actually that's pretty much what he said in the Into the Heart book - something about megalomania setting in early!

but Bono has said, several times, about how that kind of unwarrented belief in yourself is the most powerful thing -- and i totally agree with him. isn't there the story that Bono's told of him seeing a picture of himself at 19 and there's a fire in his eyes and he says that if he could go back to his 19 year old self he'd tell himself, "you're right."

 

[coemgen]

I see where you're coming from financeguy, and maybe we'll just have to disagree. I will say this, if the Bible were written today, Bono would be in it. I have no doubt. I know that sounds retarded, but think about it. The Bible is full of unlikely people used by God in unlikely ways. I'm not saying Bono's Jeremiah or Isaiah, but I think by the example he leads and his lyrics and everything, he's being used by God in many ways on a large scale — that's what I mean by prophet.

 

[coemgen]

"You're right" Irvine.

 

[Irvine511]

is God using Bono, or is Bono using God?

 

[financeguy]

you can't be saved by art? i wouldn't be who i am today without "achtung baby." i'd rather find safety and salvation in the works of a fellow human being than in religious dogma.

i also don't want to place a limit on what the artist should do -- why place limits on anyone? what a boring world it would be if people only did what was expected of them.

For some people, music is no more than a background or distraction to their lives. For me and most people on here I suspect, it's a little more than that. But being "saved by art", I dunno, doesn't apply to me personally anyway. I see art as more than an irrelevant distraction - but not the fundamental goal of life or anything like that. But I don't feel that I've been "saved" by it as such.

 

[coemgen]

God is definitely using Bono, Irvine. There's no doubt in my mind.

 

[coemgen]

Another point to look at that's interesting is look at how many churches sing U2 songs because of Bono's lyrics? There's a book out, "Get Up Off Your Knees" that's full of sermons based on U2 songs. The guys at Relevant have been dubbed U2 Christians. And many Christians, including myself, have been inspired by Bono's faith in more personal ways. I for one became a committed Christian because of him.
Add to that the fact that he's influencing world leaders all the way down to the world's poor and he's doing it as one of the biggest rock stars ever and you've got someone special. Someone that only comes along every so often.

 

[BVS]

I'd be dead if it wasn't for art.

 

[Irvine511]

For some people, music is no more than a background or distraction to their lives. For me and most people on here I suspect, it's a little more than that. But being "saved by art", I dunno, doesn't apply to me personally anyway. I see art as more than an irrelevant distraction - but not the fundamental goal of life or anything like that. But I don't feel that I've been "saved" by it as such.

fair enough. to each his own.

 

[Irvine511]

Another point to look at that's interesting is look at how many churches sing U2 songs because of Bono's lyrics? There's a book out, "Get Up Off Your Knees" that's full of sermons based on U2 songs. The guys at Relevant have been dubbed U2 Christians. And many Christians, including myself, have been inspired by Bono's faith in more personal ways. I for one became a committed Christian because of him.
Add to that the fact that he's influencing world leaders all the way down to the world's poor and he's doing it as one of the biggest rock stars ever and you've got someone special. Someone that only comes along every so often.

interesting ... i find the opposite side of the coin more interesting, for me at least. Bono is a person of faith, but he has little use for organized religion and often speaks of the Glide Memorial in San Francisco as what he thinks church should be. (i am dying to visit that place next time i'm in SF). he seems wracked with doubt and uncertainty and is angry, angry, angry at why the world is the way it is, and he's shouting at God in many of his songs. it's the anger and despair that i respond to more, which is why i have a more emotional connection to War, JT, and AB than i do to HTDAAB and ATYCLB, even though their last two albums are musically far more skillful than their previous works. i think what's been disappointing me a bit about Bono is that he's a much happier person than he was in his late 20's/early 30's. good for him, and good for the world, but bad for his lyrics. imho.

 

[coemgen]

Maybe that's another part of how amazing he is — his faith walk has inspired the two of us in two different ways, and we're two very different people. Incredible! (Thanks for your points on this by the way, man.)

 

[BonosSaint]

you can't be saved by art? i wouldn't be who i am today without "achtung baby." i'd rather find safety and salvation in the works of a fellow human being than in religious dogma.

i also don't want to place a limit on what the artist should do -- why place limits on anyone? what a boring world it would be if people only did what was expected of them.

 

[coemgen]

I think Irvine's statement rocks as well, but remember there's a difference between being saved here on earth and being saved for eternity. As much as Achtung Baby has helped me in my life, it doesn't save me.

 

[painatal]

oh please! bono it's to short to be the anticristh

 

[Bono's shades]

Hey, didn't some people nickname Bono "The Antichrist" when he was growing up? I remember reading this years and years ago in Rolling Stone or something like that.

I don't see Bono as a prophet, but he is definitely a person to admire. Christianity needs more spokespeople like him and a lot fewer Jerry Falwells.

 

[Macfistowannabe]

I admire Bono on multiple levels - I relate to him on a spiritual level, but I also relate to him on a secular level. That's pretty rare among my "relationships" with celebrities.

 

[all_i_want]

I admire Bono on multiple levels - I relate to him on a spiritual level, but I also relate to him on a secular level. That's pretty rare among my "relationships" with celebrities.

what other 'relationships' do you have?

give us the juicy details